THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602230069
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G3 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 124 lines
ONE NORTH CAROLINA reader asked me to identify an unusual plant at a recent book signing in Elizabeth City. Johnathan Baxley of Edenton, N.C., brought the strange looking thing that he said Edenton natives call a ``cinnamon vine.'' It produces something that looks like a medium-sized potato.
Virginia Tech's Dan Milbocker says it is often called an ``air potato.'' The proper name is Dioscorea bulbifera. It's actually a yam, and reference books say it is common in the Carolinas. Some are grown in the tropics for their edible tubers. They require lots of sunshine and a moist atmosphere. Flowers are cinnamon-scented.
In regards to your Dec. 10 column about spraying fruit trees, I have determined that apple trees with no spraying provide mostly wormy apples! I would appreciate instructions for spraying.
James A. Bott, Jamesville
Your assumption about spraying is correct. My standard response has been ``seven sprays are required,'' but Virginia Tech experts say it's more important when you spray rather than how many times you spray. If it rains, the spray protection is lost, so seven or more or less may be required, depending upon rainfall. A spray schedule is being sent you in the stamped addressed envelope you provided.
I have a large flowering blue clematis that has not bloomed for years. It puts out foliage in March or April but the leaves turn brown, starting from the outside, in May or June. It sometimes puts out new foliage which promptly succumbs to the same affliction. What can I do?
I have a tulip magnolia 100 feet from the clematis. Some years ago it had a 10-inch trunk with over a dozen blooms. It developed an apparent scale on the trunk which turned completely white and the leaves turned brown like my clematis. Four whips started from the base of the tree and I cut off the main trunk. The whips have developed the same affliction - brown leaves that fall off in mid-summer. This tree is adjacent to some large water magnolias.
How do I destroy large unwanted patches of English ivy growing on the ground?
Speaking of redwoods, my wife purchased a redwood burl from a gift shop in California in 1973 and I planted it in 1974. This tree now has a trunk diameter of 2 feet at its base and is at least 60 feet tall and is 21 years old.
I have a swamp garden of mallow, red Chinese hibiscus, lythrum and cardinal flowers. Some of the lythrum (loose strife) has been denuded, apparently by a tiny pink or purple winged beetle. My dinner plate mallow hibiscus are also subject to much foliage destruction by insects. Any suggestions?
I am feeding over two dozen wood ducks in my yard, plus song birds, rabbits and squirrels. I recently was surprised to find ruby-red mushrooms growing in my meadow, like jewels. They have since faded or browned out but a sample is enclosed.
W.B. Hawkinson, Virginia Beach
For your clematis, Virginia Tech experts say the roots of your plants are not sufficient to keep it healthy. They may be getting too much sun. They must be in the shade while the vine must get sun to bloom. Mulch the roots and see if that helps.
As to your tulip magnolia, it sounds like herbicides were used on the lawn or around the tree. Select the best whip and prune off the others and the good whip should grow into a healthy tree.
The best ways to get rid of English ivy are to pull it up by the roots when the ground is wet or mow it very short with your lawn mower. Then when new leaves develop, spray them at once with Roundup. The new leaves have not yet grown a waxy protective coating and several sprayings of Roundup should get it under control.
I've grown lots of lythrum and never had any beetle problem. To prevent the problem, you should start spraying with a chemical or organic spray before it blooms. Most likely Japanese beetles are stripping your hibiscus. They will skeletonize the leaves before you know they've done it. Sevin is the contact spray or dust most often recommended to control them.
No one could provide information on your mushrooms except they're not edible and will eventually blow away.
We can't keep sparrows out of our barn. They have trashed the eaves and dive-bomb the horses when they are eating their grain. We've tried fake owls, snakes, silver and red foil ribbon, the balloon eye and a sound machine that is not detectible to human ears. Nothing works more than a few days. Any suggestions?
Sheila Boowgardner, Barbarossa Close Farm, Virginia Beach
Sparrows have been a nuisance in barns for more than 100 years. They were a pest when I was a kid climbing around in haymows. I know of no effective control, other than a BB gun. It sounds like you've tried everything. Do readers have suggestions?
My question concerns broadleaf grass in our lawn. Last fall I planted Southern Belle grass seed. This did well until July, when hot temperatures browned some areas of the yard. Then broadleaf grasses began sprouting in patches. Why did this occur at that time and what can be done to prevent or control broadleaf grasses?
Russell R. Black, Virginia Beach
There are several wide-leaf grasses, including crabgrass, goose grass and dallis grass. They all creep in when your fescue is weak or dies. When the fescue turned brown, most likely the fungus disease called ``brown patch'' had moved in. This spring in March, before the forsythia blooms drop, use a crabgrass preventer product. Check around, because some are much better than others, and find one that contains pendamethelin. That chemical does a much better job than others to prevent wide-leaf grasses from germination. For dallis grass, use an organic arsenical after emergence.
I enjoyed your column on daylilies in November and agree with you that ``Stella'' is a disappointment. It and its black-eyed cousins are an unattractive color, in addition to not living up to their billing for constant bloom. I must, however, disagree with your comment that there are no dependable mail-order sources. Gilbert H. Wild and Son, Sarcoxie, Mo., 64862-0338, has been in business for over a hundred years, and the plants that come from them are very large and bloom well the same season. Over the years, they have unfailingly sent even more than I ordered. I even had one plant that began blooming in the packing box before I could get it into the ground. Please give them a try sometime and you won't be disappointed.
Janie Whitehurst, Norfolk
Gilbert Wild does have a good reputation as a quality supplier. Its catalog is free by writing to the address above. My comments should have been directed toward some of the Florida growers, whose plants have been disappointing to me. MEMO: No gardening questions will be taken over the phone. Write to Robert
Stiffler, The Virginian-Pilot, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va.
23510. Answers will be published on a space-available basis. For an
earlier reply, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Wayside Gardens
To produce blooms, clematis needs healthy roots, protected from sun.
by CNB